MILITARY EXPERTS’ VIEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 30 June 1943, Page 2

MILITARY EXPERTS’ VIEWS

thorough preparation ESSENTIAL LESSONS FROM NORTH AFRICA (Rec. 11.55 a.m.) London, June 29. Attributing: the delay in launching a cross-sea invasion to the need for thorough preparation the “Daily Mail’s" military correspondent. Captain Liddell Hart, has given several warnings which much be borne in mind in appreciating the present situation. The extent to which thorough preparation is essential is partly due to the increased realisation of the strength of the enemy’s defences. Under present conditions, says Captain Halt that has been impressed upon our executive soldiers by lessons in North Africa which render them less easily deceived by superficial appearances to the contrary. They know how much we owed to our preponderant strategic advantages and superiority in numbers, besides such factors as the absence in the final phase of minefields which so often thwarted our earlier manoeuvres. They also realise they cannot count on the enemy's shortage of such method when we invade the continent which lends itself better than the desert to obstruction by demolition and fortifications. Captain Hart recalls that at El Alamein the Tunisia path lor the Allied offensive was largely cleared by successfully provoking the enemy into successive costly counter-attacks which might have held up the Allies, while the most successful strokes were those which followed their opponents' tulse moves. The same development occurred in Russia where the most striking victories since the autumn of 1941 have been counter-offensives. HOPES OF ENEMY Captain Hart believes the enemy is pinning his faith to the prospects of making our plan lor unconditional surrender so hard that fulfilment will be impossible because of exhaustion The enemy hopes to secure modified terms or gain fresh opportunity for turning the tables. Our best chance may lie in developing and tackling the defensive problem. Nevertheless we may be able to profit from the extent to which the enemy is stretched, and once his guard is pierced the very extent of his early conquest* may prove to have been a false move. In addition, an attacker who changes over to the defensive is apt to suffer many disadvantages especially in morale, at the early stage. On the other hand, given time or encouragement, he may recover his balance. Accordingly our first step in Europe must be sure and quick. Delay is dangerous to our prospects, but so is a stumble. POSITION OF ITALY The military corrsepondent of thg “Daily Express,” Morley Richards, say* the sustained day and night Allied bombing of Mediterranean target* from Sardinia to Athens has a deepeif purpose than biting military The bombing is designed to keep the enemy guessing. The blows are aimed with varying degrees of ferocitt at all the areas potentially threatenedwith amphibious operations, on ttaie mainland and islands. For the enenjy to try and estimate from the bombing where the invasion will be made is practically impossible. The number og German troops at present in the potential battle areas is not large. Most of them seem to be stationed in positions where they can be rushed to invasion points. It seems likely that the Allies visualise knocking Italy out of the war with a few concentrated blows. While the German High Command may fear Italy’s withdrawal from the war it is esesntial for them that this should not happen for many months. This would explain the limited but strong aid at present being sent to Italy. The Allied leaders must now decide whether they can afford to wait much longer before attacking Italy.—P.A. INVASION DATE 3rd JULY? London, June 29. Italians arc discussing the possibility of an Allied invasion through Spain, Turkey, South France or Italy itself, says the German overseas radio. News has reached Stockholm from three sources that 3rd July is named as the invasion date in Downing Street. Stockholm messages state that the Germans are pressing every available levy into service in readiness for the invasion.